If ever a year deserved a treat at its end, 2021 must be one. I hope you find something in this year’s Gift Guide that tickles your fancy.
Earthquake Devices: Hizumitas Fuzz Sustainar ($149)
Have you ever wanted to sound like Wata from Boris on guitar? I have and here’s our chance! The Hizumitas from Earthquake Devices is a faithful sonic recreation of Wata’s go-to distortion pedal, the Elk BM Sustainar. Woof!
Kei Shigenaga: Jewelry
“Kintsugi” means golden joinery, a process used to fix broken ceramics using gold. Japan’s Kei Shigenaga pours molten 18k gold into the cracks of his jewelry, creating one-of-a kind pieces that speak to the fragility of life and healing.
(Nick) Cave Things: Little Black Notebook (£17.50)
“A short pencil is better than a long memory.” Size: 12,5 x 17,5 cm (hardcover) | Number of pages: 120 | Paper: Munken Pure Rough, 120gsm
Houndog: houndog ($24.95)
Los Lobos’s multi-instrumentalist David Hidalgo and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers/Canned Heat vocalist Mike Halby slow things down to frozen molasses as Houndog. Not available from Tidal or Qobuz, Bonnie Raitt said it best: “This is great! But is he gonna be all right?”
Filson: Mackinaw Wool Vest ($165)
I enjoy a good warm vest and the Filson Mackinaw is among the best. How do I judge the best when it comes to a warm vest? If it can nearly stand up on its own, you have a winner. I use this same metric for judging pants.
Twittering Machines: Red Chair Mug ($15.99)
Everyone needs a little Red Chair in their lives. The TM Red Chair Mug — guaranteed to improve the soundstage of your favorite beverage (banana not included).
Sally Mann: Photographs
Sally Mann captures the magic, mystery, fragile beauty and anguish that surrounds us in her large-format photographs (the opening image, “Blackwater 9” from 2008-2012, is one of her works). Have a long look around her website and take home a book.
Polaroid: Instant Printer ($129.99)
Now here’s some digital to analog conversion we can all get behind. Print Polaroids (to i-Type film) directly from your phone!
Nagaoka: MP-110 MM Cartridge ($139.99)
As I ratchet up my vinyl intake, I’m going to highlight two of my favorite cartridges which also happen to be very wallet-friendly. First up, the trusty Nagaoka MP-110 which sounds so much better than its price its criminal.
Maurice Blanchot: La Folie du Jour (The Madness of the Day) ($8.99/ea.)
I used to keep extra copies of The Madness of the Day in the barn to hand out to every Barn guest.
“La folie du jour is a story of madness, of that madness that consists in seeing the light, vision or visibility, to see beyond what is visible, is not merely `to have a vision’ in the usual sense of the word, but to see-beyond-sight, to see-sight-beyond-sight…. The story obscures the sun…with a blinding light”–Jacques Derrida
Sanders & Sanders: Hi Top Chukka Boot ($241/pair)
Called The Steve McQueen Chukka because the icon of cool wore ’em, the Sanders & Sanders Ltd. Hi Top Chukka Boot in Polo Snuff Suede is destined for a closet near me (and you?).
Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever Doormat ($60)
What better message to greet visitors. 100% coconut fibers, anti-slip backing, 16″ x 24″.
Maharaja Musicals: Handmade Harmonium, 3 1/4 Octave (Saptak) ($479)
I can think of no better way to increase our appreciation of music than to make it. How about with a nice Harmonium?
Audi: RS 6 Avant (starting at $116,500)
Nothing beats the practicality of a good old fashioned station wagon. Horsepower: 591 hp | Torque: 590 lb-ft | 0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds | Cargo Volume: 30 cubic feet.
The Wailers: Catch A Fire (Original Jamaican Version LP!) ($65)
I recommend putting the Original Jamaican Version LP, with the Zippo cover!, of The Wailers Catch A Fire on your wish list. In the mean time, you can hear the original (and better) Jamaican version on the Deluxe CD or from a streaming service near you.
Alden: Indy Boot ($625/pair)
The Alden Shoe Company is the last surviving New England shoe manufacturer, founded in 1884 by Charles H. Alden in Middleborough, Massachusetts. While they don’t come cheap, who wants cheap on their feet? I’m partial to their Indy Boot in Snuff Suede (yea, its a thing).
Denon: DL-103 MC Cartridge ($349)
If I had to pick one cartridge to live with, the Denon DL-103 would be my forever partner. In continuous production since 1963. (!!)
Iron Heart: 14oz Selvedge Denim Modified Type III Jacket – Overdyed Indigo ($425)
Cut a bit longer than a traditional Type III jacket, the Iron Heart versions are meant to last a lifetime and then some. What’s more, it’ll fade to look just like you.
Albert Pinkham Ryder: A Wild Note Of Longing ($65)
If you don’t know the paintings of Albert Pinkham Ryder, go see some! Your efforts will be richly rewarded. In the mean time, curl up with a good book.
AudioQuest: Niagara 3000 Power Conditioner ($3300)
In hifi, noise is nothing to sneeze at. I’ve been using a Niagara Noise Dissipation System, in one form or another, for years. Why? Because they work while doing no harm.
Peace Blossom Candles: Big Skull Candle in Natural Gold Beeswax ($40)
A little memento mori is good for the soul, especially when it smells so sweet. Light up your life for many hours with this 2 lb. beauty.
René Daumal: Mount Analogue: A Novel of Symbolically Authentic Non-Euclidean Adventures in Mountain Climbing ($15.95)
René Daumal’s Mount Analog (c.1944 unfinished but it doesn’t matter) is one of my all-time favorite reads. Its like Twister for the brain.
“The path of greatest desires often lies …through the undesirable.”–René Daumal
Haflinger: Classic Wool Felt Clogs ($125/pair)
Who am I kidding. No one wears shoes most days these days so a good pair of indoor / outdoor slippers have become de rigueur for getting the mail or even a quick run to the local post office. And there’s nothing like boiled wool to provide the right amount of natural temperature control.
CharityWatch: Top Rated Charities.
char·i·ty
/ˈCHerədē/
noun
noun: charity; plural noun: charities
1. an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.
2. the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
Being charitable will make you and the world better. I recommend picking a charity from the CharityWatch list because:
Groups included on the CharityWatch Top-Rated list generally spend 75% or more of their budgets on programs, spend $25 or less to raise $100 in public support, do not hold excessive assets in reserve, have met CharityWatch’s governance benchmarks, and receive “open-book” status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to CharityWatch. Please see the Criteria section of the website for more information on the rating criteria and methodology that CharityWatch adheres to.